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For those of you who don’t know, civics is the study of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the study of government and how it works (Dictionary.com). In our formal education, it is rare that students take a course in civics. Instead, they learn only sparse bits and pieces of information pertaining to how government works. This slice of education is usually buried in US History textbooks and only mentioned as it relates to certain episodes in our history. In other words, our students are not taught how our government works. They are not taught how politics work. They are not taught how laws are created. They are not taught civics.

Why should we learn civics?

Do you know how a bill becomes a law? Do you know who appoints federal judges? Do you know who your local representative in Congress is? If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you probably should learn civics, or at least engage in the political process. A civics course would have helped with the answers to these questions, while providing a basis for understanding the political discourse in our country. I know a lot of people will say this doesn’t interest them. That’s fine, but regardless of your interest level, politics and decisions made by our elected officials affects our everyday life.

If we had a better understanding of civics…

more people would vote in local, state and national elections

more people would demand action from our elected officials

more people would influence policy on a local level

more people would run for office

If civics affects our daily lives, then why did they take civics out of the classroom?

I do not necessarily believe in sweeping conspiracy theories, but I do believe in a slow, steady progress toward taking things away that are deemed unimportant or outdated. Civics is nether unimportant or outdated. So why have civics classes disappeared from our curriculum? I firmly believe civics is no longer taught in our schools because a certain percentage of the population must be kept in the dark about certain things. Another way of saying it is some people need to be uneducated. Uneducated people can be trained, molded, and pushed in a specific direction. They do not have the will or ability to resist.

As it relates the government and civics, many people do not know the basics of government and how it should work. Therefore (if) they vote they do so without having enough knowledge to make an educated decision about the people and policies that shape our cities, states, and nation. They do not even know the importance of their individual vote. They do not know their local politicians. They do not know local laws and statutes. On top of that, they do not have the will or ability to learn.

So here we are in 2018. The good news is a lot more people are waking up and learning more about politics and our elected officials. All of a sudden, people are aware of the President’s duty to appoint Justices to the Supreme Court. Those Justices interpret the legality of laws and can, in effect, overturn them if they are deemed unconstitutional. Don’t forget that these Justices have lifetime appointments, so their decisions could affect policy for 50 years!

Now we must take things a step further. Either we demand that our students are taught civics in schools again, or become interested enough to learn on our own. Without a few civics lessons, we will continue to see a slow, but steady growth of people unaware of the workings of our government and our elected officials. We will have more people unaware of how laws are created and passed. We will have more people unaware of who their representatives are. We will have more people unaware of how government and politics affect their daily lives.

I Wonder Why “They” Took Civics Out of the Curriculum? Is it to hide the truth?

The plight of immigrant children on the US-Mexico border who are taken from their parents is a national tragedy and a disgrace. The greatest nation on earth should be able to deal with this situation in a more humane way. We, as Americans, believe we have higher standards, morals, and decency as a people than the other nations of the world. Therefore, the American system of government and our law-making abilities should be able to provide relief for this situation in this time of need. The Pledge of Allegiance still stands for one nation, under God, with for liberty, and justice for all. Yet, none of the ideals just mentioned are any help to people who are trying to get to our country to see if America is what it claims to be.

Recently, our current political climate has been referred to Germany as Nazi rule overtook the country. While this could be accurate, we have even better examples of events in our history that mirror today’s treatment of immigrants (or in some cases American citizens). In each of these events, it was a lack of empathy by some Americans that led to and allowed the mistreatment of other people. It was a lack of will to speak up against the mistreatment of other people. It was a spirit of indifference that helped cause the mistreatment of other people.

Today, if you are not aware of the plight of people and their children who are trying to enter the United States, I am accusing you of having a spirit of indifference. Today, if you are not moved in any way by the reports and pictures of children separated from their parents, I am accusing you of having a lack of empathy. Today, if you are not speaking up against these acts, I am accusing you of having a lack of compassion. I know you are well within your rights to be unconcerned about this issue. Who am I to tell you to care? If you are aware of the situation, yet unmoved by the unfolding events on our southern border I question your humanity.

The Constitution of United States of America was ratified in 1787. Yet the words of the Constitution did not apply to many people who were in the country. Slavery existed in southern states for 80 years. During that time, many Americans were outraged by the practice, showed compassion and empathy for slaves, and fought for their freedom. Many people did not because they profited from slavery. Others simply accepted the “Peculiar Institution”. Some people tolerated slavery as long as it stayed in the South. Fast forward to today. The people who turned a blind eye to slavery are the same people who turn a blind eye to the US-Mexico refugee crisis today.

Your indifference speaks volumes… history repeats itself.

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 allowed the United Stated Government to forcibly remove Native Americans who lived in certain areas. Their removal would allow American settlers to have their land. As a result, American Indians who resided in many areas for hundreds of years, were relocated to some of the most desolate and useless land on the American continent. They were powerless, and they called their forced journey the “Trail of Tears” due to the hardships and deaths they experienced along the way. Fast forward to today. The people who turned a blind eye to Indian Removal are the same people who turn a blind eye to the US-Mexico refugee crisis today.

Your indifference speaks volumes… history repeats itself.

The Japanese Internment occurred during World War II, in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor. American citizens who were of Japanese origin were forcibly put in internment camps against their will. This was to protect our country from Japanese spies who may perform act against our country. We were at war with Japan, so extra precautions were required. However, many citizens loyal to the United States were captured. Of course, they provisions were minimal and barely enough to keep them alive. Once again, many people disagreed with the practice of internment. However, others wanted revenge against Japan, and used Japanese Americans as pawns to get their revenge. Fast forward to today. The people who turned a blind eye to The Japanese Internment are the same people who turn a blind eye to the US-Mexico refugee crisis today.

Your indifference speaks volumes… history repeats itself.

After the practice of separating children from their parents on the US-Mexico border is ended, it will be recorded by history. It will end, because eventually the will and spirit of America and its people will win. Eventually our decency as a nation and our application of justice overrules injustice. Eventually our moral compass and character overpowers our tendency to temporarily lose sight of our creed. Eventually the American ideal of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness overcomes the stains on our nation’s history like slavery, the Indian Removal, The Japanese Internment, and the US-Mexico refugee crisis.

Maybe this time, we as a people will use this recorded history to prevent the next situation like this. But then again, maybe we will not. After all, we did not learn after the lessons taught by slavery in America. We did not learn after the lessons taught by Indian removal in America. We did not learn after the lessons taught by the Japanese Internment. I hope we do learn from the lessons taught by the US-Mexico border crisis. On a personal level, your personal history will record your decisions as this crisis, and others to come, affect our nation and world. What is your opinion about the refugee crisis? What is your stance? What did you do about it? What did you learn?

Atlantic City, NJ is a beloved place. It is a small beach town on the Atlantic Ocean, known for years as America’s Favorite Playground. Thanks to my family’s migration there in the 1930s, I had first-hand knowledge of the magic and charm once held by this city. I spent parts of several summers there in the 1970s, and it was quite a treat to take the 100-mile drive south to get away from the hustle and bustle of the New York City metropolitan area. I was not alone. Many people felt the same, and every weekend they doubled Atlantic City’s population. It was a great place to visit.

In the mid-1970s, the idea to recreate Atlantic City started to gain steam. Up to this point, America’s Favorite Playground was primarily dependent on tourism derived from its world-famous beach and boardwalk. The city could attract even more tourists for a different reason: casino gambling. Atlantic City could become the Las Vegas of the east, and casino gambling could supplement, if not someday surpass, family fun on the beach and boardwalk. The plan seemed like a winner, although many residents of the city did not agree.

If you knew Atlantic City, you could easily figure out it did not have the infrastructure to sustain its residents, regular tourists, and casino gamblers. The city itself is only 18 square miles, and navigating the city streets was challenging enough during the regular tourism season. Casino gambling would make the tourism season last 365 days a year. Yet those who knew the city’s urban issues and slow decline saw this as the shot in the arm Atlantic City needed. They were right. They were also wrong. It was widely believed the casinos, and the revenue they brought in would revitalize the city’s economy and “trickle-down” to the neighborhoods and citizens who called Atlantic City home. It would also bring jobs, another boost to the local economy.

In 1978, the first casino opened. Soon others followed, and Atlantic City changed forever. For a while it was Las Vegas east. It was glitz and glam. It was show time. It was the new mecca of the east coast. Atlantic City was hot! However, those who lived there, who saw the continuing decline of the infrastructure of the city saw a different picture. The tourism dollars the casino industry brought never “trickled down” to the residents of Atlantic City. As a result, they reaped minimal benefits of having casinos operate blocks away from their slowly decaying city. In fact, you could almost draw a line between the haves and have nots of Atlantic City (Pacific Avenue).

So what does this have to do with President Trump?

Trump is the epitome of the outsiders who saw Atlantic City as a gold mine. For quite some time he was a major player and the face of Atlantic City and its casino gambling scene. It was an opportunity to get in, and make a lot of money. He took advantage of it. It was also an opportunity to transform a struggling city. He did not take advantage of it.

In fact, he was one of many who sought to push aside those whose lives and property did not fit into his plans to make Atlantic City great again. I know because of my grandmother. She lived in a senior citizen complex in Atlantic City during the rise of the casinos. She talked about friends and other seniors who were afraid their properties would be seized to make room for yet another casino. One such property was (modern-day) Best of Life Park. This was a building that sat adjacent to Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal casino. There were several attempts to buy the property and other attempts to seize it through eminent domain (or taking property from owners and offering compensation).

A compromise was reached and the residents got to keep their property. It was painted white to match the behemoth casino that stood behind it. However, the fight for the property wasn’t over yet. The Taj Mahal, already known for the amount of fixtures and lights it would have, seemed to get a little extra decoration on its east side. Brighter, more frequently flashing, multicolored light bulbs adorned the east side of the property. Of course, this was directly of Best of Life Park. I wonder if it was a way to “force” the residents to give up their property? By the way, Trump also lost another eminent domain flap with resident in a different area of the city who refused to sell her property.

So over the years Trump opened several casinos: Taj Mahal, Trump’s World Fair (former Playboy casino), Trump Castle (which became Trump Marina), and Trump Plaza. One by one, these majestic Trump properties closed. Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed “biggest player in Atlantic City” managed to mismanage five casinos. Now Trump deserves plenty of credit for employing thousands of people while these properties thrived. But he also deserves plenty of blame for un-employing thousands of people when these properties folded. His last stand, the Taj Mahal closed abruptly, leaving many stakeholders and employees left out in the cold.

I know it is all about business. I also know Donald Trump knows more about business than I ever will. Those are facts. However, take into account how Donald Trump summarily dismisses his time in Atlantic City: “Atlantic City fueled a lot of growth for me,” Mr. Trump said in an interview in May, summing up his 25-year history here. “The money I took out of there was incredible.” Analyze those two statements, and you will find two of the biggest criticisms of our current President.

“Atlantic City fueled a lot of growth for me,” Translation: it was all for his benefit.

“The money I took out of there was incredible.” Translation: I made money and got out.

Once again, this is how a lot of business is conducted. People get in to make a profit, then exit when the profits are no longer there. I understand. Yet, in my opinion, the man who should be the leader of the free world should not have anything like this on his resume. He should not be a person who got in, and then got out while the getting was still good. Especially when he left behind so many broken promises, along with a trail of contractors, employees, and businesses who never received the compensation they earned. He never should have left Atlantic City worse than it was before he got there. After all, he was the “biggest player in Atlantic City.”

Recently I laid to rest my mother in the same Atlantic City church where I laid to rest my grandmother. Both of them loved Atlantic City. For me, it is still home away from home. When I drove up and down the streets of the city I was deeply saddened. Many of the areas where Trump casinos stood are barren and desolate, or haunted by what used to be. Trump’s World’s Fair was demolished years ago. The Trump Plaza is an empty shell that blights numerous Atlantic City streets. Trump’s Castle (Marina) is now the Golden Nugget. And the kicker… the lettering on the side of his Taj Mahal was being lowered ON THE SAME DAY (December 19, 2017) I sat in the Best of Life parking lot to take the following photographs.

Removing the “J” from the Trump Taj Mahal

Best of Life Apartments (front) with Trump Taj Mahal

Former entrance to Trump Taj Mahal (with Best of Life Park on left)

Just in case you have not figured it out, this is personal. For the sake of the American people and our great nation, I hope Donald Trump does not do for America what he did for Atlantic City. For me, Atlantic City is like taking another look at Donald Trump. I don’t like the view, but at least “Atlantic City fueled a lot of growth for (him)” and “the money (he) took out of there was incredible.”

NOTE: this excerpt was written in 2012, when I encouraged all people to get involved in the political process. It was an attempt to get people to wake up, and learn about the ways politics affect our daily lives. Today, the idea that people should pay closer attention to politics is more important than ever. As a country, we need to read and educate ourselves every day to join the political debate…

Now that we have an African-American President, there really is no excuse for black people to doubt the validity of the political process. The system still has subtle inequalities and injustices here and there, but for the most part we can believe that it works. We can believe that our votes are counted and they have meaning. We can believe that our voices, so often ignored in the past, have been heard. Now there is no excuse why we should not be more involved in politics, and issues that shape our communities, and nation as a whole.

How many ways are there for African Americans to contribute to the political process? We can start by voting. Barack Obama’s candidacy energized a new generation of voters while reawakening so many disenchanted ones. Let’s face it: many blacks were turned off by politics until Barack Obama came along. As a result, our voter turnout results were among the lowest of any race people until 2008. This is a trend that can continue if we ride the political wave that we are currently on.

We cannot forget the sacrifices that our predecessors made so that we can vote today. By voting, we can validate their efforts and the hardships they endured for future generations of African Americans like us. Until recently, our heroes such as Fannie Lou Hamer and Frederick Douglass would have been disappointed in us because of our spotty voting history. However, this disappointment would undoubtedly be turned into pride now that we voted en masse and helped to elect our current leader. In the future, we must continue to honor the legacies of those who paved the way for us to vote today by filling the ballot box.

African Americans can join in the political process by remaining aware of the decisions made on the local level. The decisions made by our city councils have long-lasting impacts on the issues currently affecting our lives. For example, I spoke in this book about the amount of bars and liquor stores in my old neighborhood. It takes licensing and zoning laws to operate businesses, so how can we have so many operating in a given area? The answer is because it is legal and allowed to happen. What can we do to change this?

We can start by getting involved by letting our local elected officials know that this is not acceptable. One thing we can do is voice our displeasure so that more of these places are not allowed to open in our communities. Take this action a step further. If we are not satisfied with our local representatives, we can email, call, or visit them! After all, they work for us and we can vote them out. Our strength lies in the fact that they are aware of this. So, if enough African Americans in Jersey City, NJ choose to complain about the establishments in our neighborhoods, changes would surely follow.

Moving on, education must become a part of the debate when joining the political process. Our schools do not place enough emphasis on the workings of government; therefore, we are left out of the loop when it comes to political matters. We can easily overcome this by using a very powerful tool at our disposal: the computer. With the advent of the computer, there is no excuse for a lack of knowledge in today’s society! We can learn about politics, the legal system, and policy formulation all by accessing the internet. As a result, we can be better prepared to join the political debate.

Increasing our knowledge base would lead to more African Americans who can become involved in the political process as candidates. A great way to influence and direct change in our communities is to elect our own officials. Our elected officials are vital to our agenda of better education, better and safer schools, and cleaner communities just by their presence alone. Their voice in government is better than having no representation at all. Therefore, we need to be sure that we are raising our next generation of politicians who will shape the future of African Americans.

This influx of talented minds would help to close the gap of a lack of African Americans on the national political scene as well. We are not visible enough in national politics. An illustration of this point is from studies of the Sunday early morning and daily cable news political shows and roundtable discussions. These are the best opportunities for elected officials to join the national political debate in front of millions of interested viewers. The studies paint an interesting picture.

I am one who hates to use statistics, because statistics can be analyzed from many different viewpoints. However, the following statistics about the lack of African-American viewpoints cannot be denied. For example, during a 16-month study on the Sunday morning talk show circuit, only 1 out of every 10 political figures invited was African-American. In fact, 60% of these shows had no black guests at all during the study. As a final thought, 69% of all African-American appearances were made by only three people: Juan Williams (author and FOX News correspondent), and former Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.

This lack of representation points to the fact that our underrepresentation must be challenged and improved. Even if these political figures could push an agenda favorable to African Americans, how much impact could they really have on today’s political discussions? Therefore, we need more African Americans in politics to keep issues that affect us on the table.

There is one last point to be made about today’s political landscape. This is a reminder to our people, as well as our politicians, not to get caught up in the typical gridlock in our politics thanks in large part to political affiliations. It shouldn’t matter that Barack Obama is a Democrat. Nor should it matter that JC Watts is a Republican. It should not matter to us that Al Sharpton attracts negative publicity. Nor should it matter that Clarence Thomas possesses conservative views. They are all African-American political leaders that we can learn a lot from if we are open to joining the political debate. Their ideals can help us become more interested and educated about the political process.

The Presidency of Barack Obama was historic for so many reasons. The most obvious is that he was the first African-American to serve as President of the United States. As a black man, I gushed with pride knowing that the ultimate glass ceiling, the office of the President, has been shattered by Barack Obama. Now young black males can look to the example of Barack Obama and dream of one day becoming the second African-American President of the United States. If you do not understand the importance of this, I suggest you think about it and try to find some empathy to comprehend the magnitude of this achievement.

Of course, the Presidency of Barack Obama had to come with a price. The price was the typical back-and-forth debates that happen constantly in Washington. Members of both political parties, Democrats and Republicans, play a significant role in these occurrences. Both political parties would like to limit the power of success of the other, all in an attempt to push their agenda through. It was under this backdrop that Barack Obama took office eight years ago. Naturally, he would be subject to the political wrangling and scrutiny that all Presidents must face while in office. However, upon careful review, I am one person who wonders if the scrutiny President Obama faced was typical, or greater than previous Presidents.

(…if you lean Republican, have conservative ideologies, or possess another motive not to be discussed here, I hope that you continue reading anyway. I am sure that your natural tendency is to immediately dismiss the premise I am about to present. I will give you that. However, I will not give you the right to discharge my point-of-view without at least trying to understand it. Without trying to frame his Presidency within the historical terms of black people in America, It will be difficult for you to accept what I will say next, nor agree with it at all. I only ask that you proceed and make an honest attempt at gaining some understanding…)

Post-election, was there a concerted effort to tear down Barack Obama, his Presidency, and the legacy he would leave behind? Let’s tart from the beginning and see where we go. It is known and proven that leaders of the Republican Party met behind closed doors immediately after the first election of Barack Obama. Their mission was laid out. They would obstruct President Obama at every turn, as well as try to render him a one-term President. I suppose this is normal and a method both Republicans and Democrats use once the other party wins the Presidency. However, was this the first time such a meeting was confirmed to have taken place?

I could be wrong (and feel free to provide facts that will do so), but I have followed American politics closely since the 2000 Bush vs. Gore election fight. I do not recall immediate opposition to President Bush, or at least not a backdoor meeting that went public. Nevertheless, the stage was set for opposition and obstruction of President-elect Obama. This is undeniable.

Now back to my original point: how does it look when the first African-American President faces obstruction and purposeful attempts to “sabotage” his Presidency from day one? How am I, given all of the obstruction black people have faced in America, supposed to feel when I know there are member of our own Government dead-set against this President?

Let’s fast forward to how many times during both of his terms that Barack Obama was “delegitimized” as President. In other words, how many times did his critics act as if he never won, or should have won the Presidency twice? Obama has been called weak at foreign policy, yet a dictator over us about domestic affairs. He has been questioned about his use of executive actions, when he has done this fewer times than his predecessors. He has even been about his vacation time, even though he was away from Washington fewer days than other recent Presidents. Again, these things are always things a President, regardless of political party get scrutinized for doing. But it seems to me Obama got a little more backlash than other Presidents…

I could go on and on with example after example of attempts to delegitimize the Presidency of Barack Obama.

Now back to my original point: how does it look when the first African-American President faces obstruction and purposeful attempts to “sabotage” his Presidency while he is in office? All of these slights play out in the public eye, so the world saw and paid attention to these things. Not only that, but people of all races, supporters and non-supporters, friends and foes, also saw the treatment President Obama received. None of these things should have ever happened to the President of the United States. Personally, I do not care who is in office, Democrat or Republican. There is a level of dignity and respect owed to the President at all times.

So what was I to say as I witnesses outward expressions of “hostility” toward the first African-American President? How was I supposed to feel, as a black man, as people tried to tear down President Obama? Please provide me with tangible evidence that warranted this “hostility” as proof that his Presidency was such a disaster. In the meantime, I will share this…

For the record, Obama did not vow to stay in office after 2016 (if Trump won)…

All of these “stories” were either outright lies, or distortions of the truth to make some people fear the first African-American President even more. What makes this sad is the people responsible for the untruths knew they were lies, yet they told these stories anyway. Their goal was to play of the fears of people who are uneducated about civics and the functions of government. It worked! Yet Obama continued to serve as the President of the United States with dignity and class.

Let’s fast forward to the election of 2016. Even though most economic numbers have improved dramatically during his Presidency, this election turned into an indictment to some degree of Barack Obama. As a result, we saw the rise of Donald Trump and his appeal to those who rejected Barack Obama from the start. President-elect Trump rode this wave all the way to the White House. Of course, he used his platform to bash the President and claim how much he has failed after eight years in office. While this is normal during an election season, who can explain why this happened while the President’s approval numbers are at their highest point right now?

Now back to my original point: how does it look when the first African-American President faces obstruction and purposeful attempts to “sabotage” his Presidency as his time in office comes to an end? Given the treatment of so many of my ancestors (and myself and countless other African-Americans), this feels like the ultimate slap in the face. I understand the nature of politics and the desire to downgrade members of a different political party, but really? President Obama’s successes and failures will be scrutinized objectively by Presidential scholars. This treatment is to come later. Right now, to me it feels as if someone is ready to finish the job of tearing down Barack Obama, once and for all.

A wise man posted this on social media back on November 7, 2016, one day before the 2016 election…

An even wiser man (Van Jones) made a compelling statement concerning the treatment of Barack Obama, especially as a result of the brilliant victory of President-elect Trump. Van Jones could not have said it any better. To paraphrase his comments, he called the victory of Donald Trump (in part) a “whitelash” against President Obama and the demographic shift occurring in the United States. Once again, to fully understand his (and my) point-of-view, you should take into consideration the treatment of black people in America. What are we supposed to tell our children?

As a final thought, I say we should just let this play out. If you are concerned or need to find additional evidence, please stay tunes and watch how soon the attempts to erase President Obama from history start to occur. Remember that you read about it here “first”. Let’s see, repealing ObamaCare, whether you like it or not, is already the first of Obama’s accomplishments in the crosshairs of the new Congress as soon as Donald Trump takes office? What will be next? I am sure it will not take along before we see several additional attempts to tear down Barack Obama. Who will finish the job of erasing the legacy of Barack Obama? Time will tell…

Let me start by saying if this breaks down along racial lines, so be it. Although that is not the intention here per se, it is an undeniable by-product of extolling the virtues of America’s first black President. So let me be very clear, this is directed primarily at critics of Barack Obama who refuse to give him credit for anything. To them, no accomplishment of Barack Obama real or imagined is noteworthy. It is also directed at critics of black people in general, and the stereotypes that too many people use to define us. I have a question for those people: can you put your politics aside and give credit to Barack Obama?

President Barack Obama is the ultimate stereotype breaker, and perhaps that is one of the reasons why his critics levy so much criticism upon him. I will say it: if some people can’t at least respect this black man, will they ever respect any black man? His public and “private” persona is impeccable. His demeanor, even in the most challenging times and difficult situations, is flawless. His delivery is always timely. I call it The Presidential Effect. Believe me, it is real and (to the best of my knowledge) authentic. Can you put you politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

So how does President Obama shatter so many stereotypes? Even more important, why should he get credit for doing so? I think first identifying SOME of the stereotypes assigned to black men should help even the most ardent critics of Barack Obama recognize these falsehoods exist. Then, they would at least see how he goes against each of these beliefs. Finally, perhaps some critics of the President can at least put their politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama. It is worth a shot…

US President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha board Air Force One at Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on November 7, 2012. Obama returns to Washington on Wednesday emboldened by his re-election but facing the daunting task of breaking down partisan gridlock in a bitterly divided Congress. Obama told Americans “the best is yet to come” after defying dark economic omens to handily defeat Mitt Romney, but his in-tray is already overflowing with unfulfilled first term wishes thwarted by blanket Republican opposition. AFP PHOTO/Jewel Samad (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Stereotype #1: The black father is absent from the home.

Obviously, Barack Obama shatters this myth. Like me, he is one of countless black fathers who are leading their families to the best of our ability. We provide guidance and structure to our families. We work hard to earn a living and ensure the well-being of those who look to us to support. In the President’s case, just look at Michelle Obama, their daughters, and even the support given to his mother-in-law as an indicating that Barack Obama has always taken care of home. Can you put you politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

Stereotype #2: The black man is prone to violence and crime.

Obviously, Barack Obama shatters this myth. Like me, he is one of countless black men who have never been involved in violence or crime. We do not have an arrest record, nor do we have the inclination to get one. We know that the best way to live is to follow the law. If the law does not work in our favor, then the course of action is to oppose, but not break said law. In the President’s case, any arrest record or criminality would disqualify him from office and betray the public’s trust. Can you put you politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

Stereotype#3: Black people are less likely to be educated, or unwilling to be educated.

Obviously, Barack Obama shatters this myth. Like me, he is one of many black men who hold college degrees from schools across the nation. To dispel another myth, these degrees were earned based upon merit, not a handout of affirmative action. We have a desire to get a quality education, and see our family members do the same. In the President’s case, his Harvard Law Degree should be all you need to hear to say he believes in the value of education. Couple that with Michelle Obama’s degrees from Princeton and Harvard Law School, and there should be no reason to doubt the Obama’s commitment to education. Can you put you politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

The sad part is the fact that I even feel the need to write this piece. Examples of black men who are doing the right thing abound in our society. Yet, far too often we do not receive the credit we deserve. It is true: we are doing what is expected of us, so why should we get credit for that? My answer is simple: I do not believe black men get much, if any credit for anything! The only way to convince some people to comprehend is to use the example of the most powerful, and admired man in the world IN HOPES that they would understand.

In 850 words, I have provided three admirable qualities of Barack Obama, Unfortunately, these three and many other positive qualities are seldom used to describe millions of black men like Barack Obama. We understand the magnitude of his success and stereotype- shattering significance of his Presidency. Do you?

So I will ask again, can you put your politics to the side and give credit to Barack Obama?

Being totally honest, I shed quite a few tears when President Obama gave his victory speech on election night. I thought of all of the black people who fought, cried, survived, and died so that I could see that moment. Personally, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Wow! Anything and everything really is possible. Then, just moments after the President-elect, his running mate and their families left the stage, the weight of his victory crashed down upon me. I felt the burden of helping to improve Black America again.

I realized the importance of finishing this book to do my part. The bottom line is: Barack Obama did his part; our ancestors did their part.

When are we, and I mean each and every one of us, going to do our part? When are we going to clean up our neighborhoods? When are we going to educate our children? When are we going to encourage and support each other?

The amazing thing about President Barack and Michelle Obama is that they embody exactly what is in this book. Starting from the beginning, they know OUR STORY, in part because of Barack Obama’s diverse past and experiences. They know the importance of EDUCATION for themselves and their children. Their lives prove that they are SELF-MOTIVATED, and they will do what it takes to remain successful. They are both interested in SELF IMPROVEMENT; their pursuit of higher education demonstrates this fact. They are both outstanding COMMUNICATORS who can relate to people from all walks of life.

They SUPPORT each other and their children constantly. They have learned important LESSONS that they put into daily practice. Their FAMILY is the model that all families should strive to be. They are conscious of their FINANCES and know how it feels to survive off a little until blessed with more. Their lives have included providing SERVICE to others. They have always been ardent supporters of their COMMUNITY, long before President Obama’s days as a community organizer. Finally, they have been called to lead our SOCIETY into a better future. As I said before, they are doing their part and living up to the ideals in this book. The question is: can you also live up to these ideals Black America?

This is why, his life, as well as the life of our wonderful First Lady Michelle Obama, must become THE example of how we should live our lives as African Americans. We must be college educated. We must find the best mate possible and build our families. We must work for a living to support our families. We must volunteer in our communities. We must raise our children in two-parent households. We must totally support the dreams and goals of our companions. We must provide the best educational opportunities for our children. We must support our parents as they become older. We must grow, thrive, and prosper as African Americans.

So the challenge, whether or not history tells us that Barack Obama was a great President or an awful one, is to wake up and contribute to fixing the problems of the black community, while strengthening the numerous positive aspects that we already possess. In this process, we will be building our society as a whole. There are no more excuses. There is no longer a “need” to wait for someone else to do it for us. We must make sure that we tell our children that anything and everything is possible, regardless of our race, gender, economic situation, education, or perceived disadvantages that may, or may not exist.

As a final thought, we MUST UNDERSTAND that it will take education, hard work, sacrifice, diligence, love, creativity, passion, desire, inspiration, motivation, networking, understanding, enthusiasm, wisdom, planning, risk taking, dreaming, goal setting, writing, reading, and intelligence to be successful. This is why Barack Obama has been successful. This is how we all can be successful too. This is how our children can be successful. The time is RIGHT NOW!